A Matter of Timing
by MICKFLI
Summary: Marty and Jennifer finally make it to the lake after the events of BttF III. This night changes their future forever. Former one-shot turning into something a little longer.
1. Chapter 1

Gilmore Lake, California

October 27, 1985

10:38 p.m.

Marty McFly gazed up at the night sky from the back of the Toyota Hilux 4X4 that suddenly appeared in his life earlier that morning. He smiled as he felt Jennifer snuggle further against him inside their shared sleeping bag. The two teens looked out over the lake, stars reflecting off the surface. They were surrounded by nothing but trees and crickets. Totally alone.

Everything was exactly as it was supposed to be and Marty couldn't believe his luck. He'd barely had a chance to process his extended journey through time when he got back from 1885. Marty was so thrilled to see that his life still looked as perfect and wonderful as it did when he returned from his first trip to into the past. His parents were happy and successful, his siblings weren't losers, and he had his dream truck parked right outside in the garage.

Best of all, he still had Jennifer. The two of them had a lot to catch up on after saying goodbye to Doc Brown and his sudden-family. And after that near miss with the Rolls Royce. It took all of Marty's will-power to ignore Needle's chicken-taunt, but he decided he wasn't going to take things like that so personally anymore. All of his time travel mishaps finally knocked some sense into him. Some things are more important than pride, like love and the future.

Marty thought about what would have happened if he had raced Needles today. The crash, the injury...the terrible potential future that awaited him in 2015. He hoped his new-found common sense fixed all of that. It already helped lead him to the lake tonight instead of the emergency room. He and Jennifer were finally taking that romantic camping trip they starting planning last week, which felt like 100 years ago to Marty.

"Hey Jennifer…"

"Yeah, Marty?"

Marty smiled and squeezed his girlfriend closer. "Thanks for coming with me tonight. After all that crazy shit that happened with Doc and the time machine I was worried you wouldn't want anything to do with me and our messed up future life."

Jennifer kissed Marty's cheek and said, "Of course I came, Marty. I mean, yeah I was totally freaked earlier. It's still weird to think about all this time travel stuff. But I think you and I are gonna be okay. Remember what Doc said? Our future can be whatever we want it to be. You're not gonna lose me because of what _might_ happen someday."

Marty couldn't believe how cool his girlfriend was about everything that happened. His crazy experience with Doc and the DeLorean was over. Doc and Clara went off on their own adventure and he and Jennifer were right where they belonged.

The teens kissed and moved closer together inside their single sleeping bag. The stars shimmered off the water's surface and Foreigner's "I Want to Know What Love Is" played over the truck's radio (much to Marty's dismay...but hey, Jennifer liked that crap.)

As their kissing grew more intense, Marty remembered why he was so eager to take Jennifer up to the lake in the first place. They hadn't taken _that_ step in their relationship yet and he wanted it to be as romantic as possible. All his hopping through time had distracted him for a while, but he was here with her now and he wasn't going to let this moment pass. Marty McFly wasn't wasting his time ever again.

Marty and Jennifer stayed up all night in the back of that 4x4...making very good use of their time.


	2. Chapter 2

San Francisco, California

July 10, 2002

7:02 a.m.

Marty McFly poured a mug of coffee for himself and added a few teaspoons of sugar. He poured another for his wife and brought it to her at the kitchen table.

Marty kissed the top of Jennifer's head as she put down her newspaper and took the mug. "Thanks, babe."

"Anything for you, Jen," he smirked. "You're off at six tonight, right?"

Jennifer answered with a nod and a quick "mmhmm" as she sipped her coffee.

Marty continued, "Great. I'll meet you guys at the club at eight. I can't wait to see her face!"

The McFly's relocated to the Bay Area about six years earlier when Marty's music career started taking off. He wasn't a huge rockstar like he always wanted to be, but his skills got him some solid work as a session guitarist and pretty soon he was opening his own studio for local musicians. He got to make music for living and still played plenty of gigs around the city when he could.

Jennifer found her calling in real-estate and was quite successful. The houses basically sold themselves as more and more people moved to the city every year. She even helped find Marty his cozy little recording studio.

Jennifer was so proud of Marty for all that he'd accomplished - all that they'd accomplished over the years. No matter what life threw at them, they knew they had to end up happier than the versions of themselves they'd seen when Doc brought them into 2015. Jennifer never forgot what Doctor Brown told her about making the most of their future, so she worked hard to only make smart choices in her life.

Of course, that hadn't always been easy, not after that night at the lake…

"Speaking of which, is that kid awake yet?" Marty asked his wife. Before she could say anything, he walked down the hall and put his ear to the last door on the left. He heard rock music through the door and laughed to himself. Marty walked back to the kitchen and sat down next to Jennifer.

"Guess our rockstar is up?" Jennifer questioned. She was used to hearing the loud morning routine coming through the bedroom door each day. She'd walked in on more than a few air guitar solos and hairbrush microphone performances over the years. Now Jennifer always knocked first to save everyone the embarrassment.

"Sounds like it. Man, can you believe it? Sixteen years old! It makes me feel ancient," Marty ran a hand through his only slightly graying hair.

Jennifer chuckled at her husband. "Well, that's one of the benefits of being a former teen parent, honey. We really don't have to feel that old, especially compared to all her friends' parents. That one girl's mom at the concert last week looked like a grandma! We're still young and hot, Marty, don't worry."

Marty and Jennifer smiled at each other over their coffees and waited for their daughter to join them for breakfast.


End file.
